Posted on by erniebufflo

HELP! mama needs a brand new bag

So, one of the things about riding the bus is that I need to carry a certain number of things with me every day.  First and foremost, for the event of rain, I carry an umbrella and a folds-into-a-pocket raincoat with me every time I ride the bus.  The rest of my Every Day Carry is a book, a composition book, a couple of pens or sharpies, cell phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses, way more lip products than I’ll ever need, a lunchbag, a stainless steel water bottle, a thermos, and a cardigan or a pashmina because my office is generally freezing.  Bottom line is: I carry a lot of stuff every single day.

Currently, I’m using a ginormo tote that is a black burlap-y material, with leather straps that are reinforced with

My current clothes-ruining tote.
My current clothes-ruining tote.

grommet things.  It has a zip closure, which is nice in the event of rain so my books don’t get ruined.  It’s about 18 inches wide, 12 inches tall, and 5 inches deep.  And it’s ruining my clothes.  Apparently the weird burlap-y material rubs against my cardigans and jersey dresses and causes them to pill like crazy.  And I can’t have that happening.

So, I need help picking a new tote.  If possible, I’d like my money to go to an acutal human instead of someone like the Gap (though I like this tote), so, after browsing like 100 pages of totes on Etsy, I found a great seller: banyanhippo.  Only problem is I like SEVERAL of the bags.  Want to help me choose?  Just leave me a comment and tell me which one you like. Or if you have seen other great ginormo totes somewhere recently, tell me about it!

Option 1:

Daphne in the Garden 16x10.5x5, $34.
"Daphne in the Garden" 16x10.5x5, $34.

Option 2:

Plane leaves in blue sky, 15x12x5, $25.
Plane leaves in blue sky, 15x12x5, $25.

Option 3:

Fora II, 15x12x5, $25.
Fora II, 15x12x5, $25.

Option 4:

Elegant and Handy Everyday Purse, 15x12x5, $25.
Elegant and Handy Everyday Purse, 15x12x5, $25.

Edit: did some more looking and found a couple more that I like.

Option 5:

Stockholm Messenger Bag, 17x12x3, $39.
Stockholm Messenger Bag, 17x12x3, $39.

Option 6, for fans of Option 1:

Same as above, different fabric.
Same as above, different fabric.

So, what say ye, internets?

13 Replies to “HELP! mama needs a brand new bag”

  2. I think the first one is the dressiest, if that matters. I prefer the fabric of the second one though.

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  3. If you don’t pick the first one, I will drive to Charleston and poke you in the eye!

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    1. Oh no, not the eyes! Also, it took me a few minutes to figure out the “2nd fave roommate” thing. I was wondering who #1 would be. Then I realized Jon probably counts as a roommate!

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  4. You used to tell me, “Obviously I can’t say you’re my favorite roommate ever but you’re a close second!” :-)

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  5. Also, maybe I’ll just pick a different bag so you’ll HAVE to drive to Charleston. I’ll just wear goggles or something!

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  7. i’d pick whichever one is NOT a color i usually wear. less clashiness will occur. like if you wear a ton of blue, get a greener one so you don’t end up with multiple close-together shades of blue. or get a darker blue than you usually wear. :)

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  9. Etsy = yes.

    I like #5! I recently bought a bag (on Etsy) with a longer strap and it works great for riding the bus – it stays closer to the body than a purse or tote.

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  10. #1 still gets my vote, but I also like #5 a lot. You can bet I will be visiting this etsy seller soon.

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    1. I should note that the bottom two bags are from a different seller, but if you click the pics you can get to her store!

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